Second person in CT dies of EEE

The state Department of Public Health is reporting that a second person in the state has died as a result of the mosquito-borne virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis this year. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

The state Department of Public Health is reporting that a second person in the state has died as a result of the mosquito-borne virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis this year. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Photo: Pat Wellenbach / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo: Pat Wellenbach / ASSOCIATED PRESS

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The state Department of Public Health is reporting that a second person in the state has died as a result of the mosquito-borne virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis this year. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

The state Department of Public Health is reporting that a second person in the state has died as a result of the mosquito-borne virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis this year. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Photo: Pat Wellenbach / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Second person in CT dies of EEE

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The state Department of Public Health is reporting that a second person in the state has died as a result of Eastern Equine Encephalitis this year.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz announced in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that a person from Old Lyme had died from EEE. Last week, the state announced that someone from East Lyme had died from the illness. It was the first death from EEE since 2013.

It has been a particularly active season for EEE in the Northeastern United States. In addition to the two deaths in Connecticut, there have been human illnesses and death in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. During the press conference, Bysiewicz called EEE a “serious public health concern,” and said the rise in the illness is likely the result of climate change.

“People around our state are very concerned about this, as are we, and that’s why we we’re here,” Bysiewicz said. “But the most important thing that we want people to know is that they shouldn’t panic.”

She went on to detail multiple strategies people can use to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses, including not just EEE but also West Nile Virus and others. These included wearing long sleeves and long pants, using insect repellent and decreasing the amount of time spent outside during prime mosquito time — starting about an hour before dusk and going until dawn.

As of Tuesday, 101 mosquitoes in Connecticut have tested postive for EEE since June, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. By comparison, only 78 have tested positive for West Nile Virus, which is usually the most worrisome mosquito-borne illness in the state.

DPH said it takes four to 10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito for a person to develop symptoms of EEE. Severe cases of the infection lead to an inflammation of the brain. About one-third of patients who develop EEE die from it. There is no specific treatment for EEE.

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